Initially the Monastery stood on 17 acres of land but recent land purchases have allowed for growth extending the property size to 20 acres. This growth has allowed the monastery to purchase bees to produce their own honey, a donkey and 2 alpacas.

To create privacy for the monastery, Cox Road, running outside the monastery, has recently been closed off—an initiative instigated by Mother Kallistheni.

The Monastery is surrounded by 17 acres of land. This allows the Sisters to keep beehives, olive trees, fruit trees and a vegetable garden and tend to a few animals.

Situated in the Monastery is an outdoor Chapel dedicated to St Seraphim of Sarov, where his Feast day is celebrated by Divine Liturgy on 2nd January

There is also a building that houses a coffee room and the Monastery Bookshop from where Orthodox literature (in Greek and English), handicrafts and icons made by the Sisters may be purchased.

Mother Kallistheni

Mother Kallistheni, the first abbess of the monastery, was born Kalomira Zantis (nicknamed "Corrine") to Angelo and Nina Zantis, and raised in Goulburn, NSW, Australia with two siblings, Sheridan and Peter.

Her great-grandfather was the village priest and the schoolmaster in Karavas, in Kythera, Greece, for four decades. Known as 'Papa Vangelli', he was married to Presbytera Stamatia and baptised the majority of those Kytherians who then moved to Australia or the USA. Papa Vangelli had eight children, of whom Kalomira was the seventh; she married Sarandos Zantiotis and had four children, of whom Angelo was the fourth; he married Nina Souris, from Armidale, who are the parents of Mother Kallistheni.

Programme for members of the public

Female pilgrims can stay at the guesthouse of St Anna and are invited to participate in the daily programme of the Monastery.

All pilgrims can visit the monastery daily (except Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and are able to attend the services chanted by the sisters.

The Divine Liturgy in the English Language is celebrated at the Monastery on Saturday mornings once a month:
8:00am – 9:00am Matins Greek/English
9:00am – 10:00am Divine Liturgy – English

The remaining dates for 2008 are:

10th May 7th June

12th July 9th August

6th September 11th October

15th November 13th December

Refreshments are provided after the Divine Liturgy.

Monastery Building Project

With God’s help and with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia, the Sisters plan to begin stage one of the Monastery Katholikon. This entails the pilings, slab and hydronic heating. The Katholikon has a main central church and two side chapels. They welcome all help and support that that they may "be able to continue with greater zeal and without distraction their holy mission."